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University Daily Kansan Wednesday, April 20. 1955
Arab States Bitter
Western Powers Cheer Turkey's Leadership
The country of Turkey holds a unique and important position in the world today. Its principal distinction lies in the fact that the medieval Ottoman empire has grown into one of the principal contenders in the modern struggle for a chain of democratic Western powers.
As a strong member of the North Atlantic Treaty organization, Turkey took a big step last January toward uniting the democratic nations against Communist aggression. Following days of talks in Baghdad, the premiers of Turkey and Iraq announced the Turko-Iraqi defense pact.
The country is located between the Christian Balkan states in southeast Europe and the Mohammed Arab states of southwest Asia.
The true democracy of the country, itself, has since been questioned by observers. Under a written constitution, the aim of the nation has been a parliamentary government. Under the present regime, there seems to be a movement toward a more restrictive democracy. The administration of Prime Minister Adnan Menderes has been criticized on several occasions for legislation by the Grand National assembly.
Under a recently-enacted rule judges who have served 25 years may be retired without cause. The opposition People's party is pointing to the law as political pressure, implying that the judges will favor certain issues in order to remain in their positions.
The Supreme court, the commission feels, would check the apparent trend towards a dictatorship. The commission has concluded that 23 laws were at variance with the country's democratic principles and 25 others were defective in guaranteeing freedom. The Assembly, which passed the laws, is the sole lawful representative of the nation, and exercises sovereignty in the name of the nation. Its power is further extended by the legislative and executive powers both being concentrated in it.
A judicial system of independent tribunals is now in effect, with the Grand National assembly established over them. Thus, although the Turkish constitution has created the basis for a democratic regime, it does not contain all the legal provisions needed.
The economic difficulties are gradually being alleviated by aid both from the West and the Soviet Union. Modern Turkey is an agricultural country with a population of 21 million. Four years ago, it was importing wheat and now, with American help, it exports around two million tons each year. Some 70 per cent of the 21 million live in rural communities.
Of the basic principles of their government, the Turks seem to regard state socialism as the most important. In the classless society of agricultural peasants, a strong government is needed to apply modern technology to the natural resources. A purely functional method of bettering the land production, the principle holds no ideological purpose as does Socialism, although the state supervises the principal industries, public utility services, and communication means.
The Soviet government is helping deteriorate the ties between Turkey and the West. Recently, it offered to build a tread mill which is more appealing than the "teachers" from America. The questionable status which Turkey is in now is the basis for the caption given to it—the most unique country in the world today.
Irene Coonfer
"I don't know what kinda line th' Sigma Phi Nothings' give the 'unshue's,' but year after year they seem to snatch 'best boys.'
One Man's Opinion
Americans are showing unmistakable concern over their use of words, particularly in conversation.
At Drake university's Community college in Des Moines, Iowa, courses in "The Art of Conversation" are currently being offered adults.
Last autumn Dr. A. Whitney Griswold, president of Yale university, told a group of Brown undergraduates that conversation "has fallen upon . evil days." He .said conversation was forsaken by technology in that man is so busy tending his . time-saving. devices that he has no time for talking.
In one year, an NBC radio program called "Conversation" has won an estimated 2 million listeners. Dedicated to "the art of good talk," the program brings together such conversationalists as Clifton Fadiman and Adiali Stevenson.
Jack Gould, New York Times television critic, noted the existence of another school of thought when he wrote: "The nation's households
... have become little tombs of dark silence broken only by the voice of television."
A Shakespearean scholar, Dr. Frank Baxter of the University of Southern California, also believes that conversational darkness is closing in.
"Financial matters, self improvement, or matters of moral significance are death on conversation," he said.
To the outcry that television is destroying the art of conversation, Prof. John C. Gerber of the State University of Iowa replied that TV is actually a help.
Television does cut down the amount of conversation, he said, but most persons are listening to better conversations and speech than they could normally get from their own families.
Conversation, said Dr. Baxter, should be "original," unemotional, and not too factual, and must take place among people who are at ease. Our minds today are too trammeled by the pressures of ready-made mass entertainment.
There is no doubt that conversational customs have changed.
Gone is the type of thing that Will Durant described in "The Renaissance," when nobles, poets, and philosophers, generals and scholars, artists and musicians met in the salons of Italy to quote famous authors, make a casual mention of religion, and grace their talk with a light-hearted mood.
There is also a considerable body of observers of the opinion that conversation in present-day America needs no apologies. "There was never a period when people were more fluent," said Prof. Irving J. Lee of Northwestern. Some of the most fluent talk, he said, is to be found in corporation board rooms. "Dreary discussions have given way to brisk, lucid conversations," and the report-reader and passive non-contributing individual is unwanted.
Few businessmen probably will attain the stature of Charles F. Kettering of General Motors, who was kept off his own policy board because he was such a fascinating speaker that members feared that they "wouldn't have time to tend to business."
Prof. Frederick Pottle of Yate concedes that both sides have a point.
Conversation is in a shaky condition now, he said, but "as the culture of the nation becomes more unified...the U.S. may hear some great conversation.
Gordon Hudelson
Daily Hansan
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